Round 15: Taipans vs Hawks

Friday night hoops take us to far north Queensland and a date with the second place Cairns Taipans.

Coach Jackomas’ side continues to push for an elusive third win of the season, with the young Hawks competing until the final few minutes with the league’s best.

The Hawks took to the floor on Tuesday night with Siva and Frazier II watching from the sidelines, eventually falling just short of the JackJumpers by 3 points, 92-89.

The Hawks outscored the JackJumpers in the final quarter; however, the depth and import play of the visitors was enough to see them register their 12th win of the season.

Dan Grida had his best performance since his return, with 16 points and five boards for the home side, while Deng Deng continued his consistent run of form with 16 points.

The co-captains have led from the front all season and again answered the call with 22 and 21 points, respectively. Froling was just two boards and assists short of a triple-double as he registered eight rebounds and eight assists in his 31 minutes.

Mathiang and Hickey again provided the spark from the second unit, and with the Taipans out to register their 7th home win of the season, both will need to bring the same energy to the Cairns Convention Centre if the Hawks are to escape with the win.

Keep a Hawk Eye On

Dan Grida.

Grida has provided the Hawks with a spark both physically and emotionally since his return.

His timing and continuity have improved each time he hits the floor, and his athleticism and knack for the ball and basket have been on full display in our last two fixtures.

Grida’s 16 points and five rebounds against the JackJumpers provided Hawk Nation with plenty to cheer about, and both he and Swaka Lo Buluk will have the big job of shutting down the Taipans import duo of DJ Hogg and Tahjere McCall from the tip on Friday night.

For Grida, there is still plenty to play for down the stretch, and the remaining reps of the season will be sure to spring board his NBL24 campaign.

Opposition Watch

 It has been a story of ‘no Pinder, no worries’ for the Cairns Taipans, who continue to use a balanced team effort to keep their win tally ticking over.

Pinder has missed the last four outings with a foot injury, but the Taipans haven’t missed a beat racking up big wins and holding down second position on the NBL standings.

Rookie of the Year favourite Sam Waardenburg and backup guard Ben Ayre have excelled with the additional responsibility and playing time.

The Taipans are looking to complete a remarkable turnaround, having come from near the bottom of the table last season to a side eyeing off-home-court advantage throughout the playoffs.

How to Watch

Catch all the action Friday night from 7:30pm AEDT on ESPN via Kayo & Foxtel.

Hawks Socials

Follow all the action from Friday night’s game, on the Hawks social media channels @illawarrahawks and use the hashtag ‘Hawk Nation’ when you share your pics and stories.